Graft charges against PS Nassali dropped
Dr Rose Nassali Lukwago, the PS Judicial Service Commission
What you need to know:
- This publication has learnt that the charges were dropped last Friday, ending a four-year legal battle.
- Ms Ali Munira, the IGG spokesperson, yesterday confirmed the development.
The Inspector General of Government (IGG) has dropped corruption charges against the permanent secretary to the Judicial Service Commission (JSC), Dr Rose Nassali Lukwago.
This publication has learnt that the charges were dropped last Friday, ending a four-year legal battle.
Ms Ali Munira, the IGG spokesperson, yesterday confirmed the development.
On August 8, 2019, Dr Nassali was arrested and later charged with causing financial loss of Shs33.8m for allegedly facilitating an over payment to a human resource hiring firm while she was still at the Education ministry.
She was later interdicted by then line minister, Gen Kahinda Otafiire, to pave way for investigations. In February, Attorney General Kiryowa Kiwanuka stated that Dr Nassali’s continued interdiction beyond six months had become illegal as per the Public Service Standing Orders.
It is upon this legal opinion that President Museveni ordered her reinstatement through the head of civil service. She then resumed her duties.
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Dr Nassali had been jointly charged with former commissioner of health services, Dr Opio Okiror; former deputy director of AH Consulting Limited, Mr Cuthbert Kagabo; and Mr Jaffer Kawooya.
Government received a loan from the African Development Bank to finance higher education science and technology projects and the Ministry of Education was the programme implementer.
A contract was entered into with MS, AH Consulting where the latter would review applications, interview and recommend best candidates for recruitment by the ministry of 13 project staff at a consideration of Shs74m.
However, the audit into the ministry’s accounts of Financial Year 2014/2015 revealed that the consultant did not conduct the contract activities for all the mentioned staff.
